Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1887-11-11
Curiosities OF Sound and vibra.
lion.


Not many evenings ago, while
young lady was singing, the glass shade
on gas burner broke, frightened The
singer nearly out Of her wits, and
though the chandelier contained nine
glass shades, the one Immediately In
front of where the lady stood was the
only one broken. Her voice, which was
loud and strong. had shattered the glass,
but it is not less strange than true. |
know person who can break a small
tumbler of thin glass by holding it be-
fore his mouth aud making peculiar
thrilling noise. While away up amid
the Alpine solitudes OF Switzerland
few years ago, noticed the muleteers
tied up the bells on their mules, and
was told that the protracted combined
tinkliug would start an avalanche. A
dog barking will make the strings OF q
piano forte sound, and. after all, vibra-
ton of the strings is what makes all the
music.
Vibration Is simply moving 10 and
fro, as We can see the pendulum OF the
clock do. All things have a certain
vibration, though we cannot always see
it. Some things have number of VI
brations in their different psrts, aud
when two things vibrate In time with
each other, and are near each other,
though IL is only air that connects them
the movement OF one Is affected by the
other. The lady's voice broke the shade
in the chandelier because the two vi
brated in time with each other, and the
motion of the voice so increased the mo-
tion OF the glass as 10 loosen It's PARTICLES
and allow them TO fall apart. When
two clocks whose pendulums have the
same range Of vibration are In the same
room, If the pendulum OF one Is set In
motion the pendulum of the other will
also move. This Is tho reason; every
time the pendulum of the clock vibrates
ii sends puff of air In the direction OF
the pendulum OF the second clock, and
these pulls, continued regularly, set the
pendulum Of the second clock going.
When two pianos are N the same room,
if the strings OF one are struck, not only
will they vibrate, but also the corre-
spending strings OF the other plano,
providing that the forte pedal OF the
second piano has been depressed. IL
you whistle note into piano or yio-
lin, the strings OF The instrument la
unison with that note will audlbly take
IL up.
noticed the boys carrying milk about
tho streets Of London In pals which
hang from yoke on their shoulders,
and are held of from their bodies by
hoops just below their waists. IL these
boys kept upa regular step, the Slbra.
ton of their bodies would increase the
vibration OF the milk until that was
spilled The little fellows may not
quite understand the philosophy OF the
matter, but they knowthey must change
their step from time to time to keep the
milk in their pnils.
A strong gust OF wind Will uproot
majestic tree when IL comes just la time
with the trees own swing or vibration.
Some years ago there was considerable
trouble aud annoyance In one Of the
mills in Massachusetts, because tho
walls and floors OF the building were
shaken. on certain days by the machinery.
At these times nearly all the water In
pals would slop out by the motion Of
the factory. IL was finally discovered
that oil this particular day the machine
ry went at u rate In keeping with the
vibration Of the building. and the trouble
was readily overcome by making tho
machinery work either slower or faster
than had been the custom.
The fret iron bridge ever built was
that at Colobrooke Dale, In England.
While 1t was building a fiddler came
along and said II can fiddle that bridge
down" The workmen. little alarmed
babe him fiddle away 10 his hearts con,
tent Whereupon the musician tried
one note after another on his instrument
until he hit one in tune with the move.
ment OF the bridge. and the structure
began to culver so perceptibly that the
laborers begged him to cease and let
them alone, which he did: otherwise
the structure would have fallen.-Har-
per's Young People.